ALLIES AND ADVERSARIES BF 109

Below: Port profile of a Messerschmitt Bf109K from Jagdgeschwader 77, 1945. During the early months of 1945 units of MESSERSCHMITT BF 109 JG 77 were brought back to defend Germany against attack.

Russian aircraft flown by the Republican vast majority were over the Eastern Front 109K, which had design modifications to forces. The Bf 109E with a Daimler-Benz against, but in June 1944 he claimed ease production. Many Gs and Ks were DB 601 engine entered service at the a P-51 over Romania and in 1945 was equipped with underwing 20mm cannon end of the conflict and served during the credited with another over Prague. Most tubs, which boosted firepower but , proving an equal match of the Luftwaffe’s other top aces flew Bf further adversely affected handling. to the Spitfire Mk I. The fuel-injected 109s for most or all of their careers. continued production engine allowed it to perform negative-G The Bf 109 was hard to handle on after the war using Junkers Jumo manoeuvres that the Spitfire and the ground, particularly on the take- 211 engines and Bf 109G-6 Hurricane with their float carburetors off run, because of its narrow track left behind by the Germans. The could not follow without their engines undercarriage. The increased power resulting Avia S-99 had terrible flight cutting out. Machine-guns were fitted in of the DB 605 engine made this worse, characteristics, but used them in the as well as the engine cowl and leading to the introduction of a taller fin the 1948 War of Independence. propeller hub in order to give a similar and rudder during G production, which also found itself with airframes and first punch to the eight-gun British fighters. gave the pilot more control authority. tried Hispano-Suiza engines but settled The Bf 109F appeared in service from The final German model was the Bf on the Rolls-Royce Merlin. The resulting early 1941, with a more Hispano Ha-112 Buchóns flew ground streamlined nose and attack missions against rebels in Spain’s armament moved out African colonies and remained in service of the wings. It had until the late 1960s. two 7.92 mm machine- SPECIFICATIONS guns mounted on top Left: A Bf 109 goes down to the guns of a USAAF A beautifully restored Bf 109G-10 in the collection of the National Museum of the engine and a fighter in February 1944 . ARMAMENT: One 30mm MK 108 of the United States at Dayton, Ohio. 20mm cannon firing cannon and two 13mm MG 131 through the propeller Below: Later models of the Messerschmitt Bf 109s machine guns ENGINE: One Daimler-Benz DB 605D hub. The wings were concentrated their firepower in the nose, with The Mustang’s primary fighter adversary in Europe was the inverted V rated at 1,850 hp for take-off given rounded tips. guns firing above and through the centre of the Messerschmitt’s Bf 109. Most Luftwaffe aces flew the type and it MAXIMUM SPEED: 426mph at It was similar in engine. 24,280ft (686km/h at 7,401m) performance to the remained a worthy opponent until the last days of the war. RANGE: 373 miles (600km) Spitfire Mk V. CEILING: 41,400ft (12,618m) ermany’s main fighter Flugzeugwerke (Bavarian Aircraft RATE OF CLIMB: 19,700ft (6,004m) in Fighter ace of World War Two, the Factory) although the Allies usually 5.8 mins The Bf 109G introduced the Daimler- SPAN: 32ft 0in (9.75m) Messerschmitt Bf 109, was referred to it as the Me 109 and this Benz DB 605A engine and a stronger LENGTH: 29ft 5in (8.84m) Gthe most-produced fighter usage appears in many contemporary HEIGHT: 8ft 2.5in (2.44m) structure. Armament was increased aircraft in history, with nearly 34,000 German documents. Later EMPTY WEIGHT: 5,180lb (2,350kg) with the machine-guns increasing built up to 1945. Messerschmitt aircraft such as the Me LOADED WEIGHT: 7,496lb (3,400kg) to 13mm caliber and the cannon to The predecessor to the 109 was the 262 jet and Me 163 rocket fighter were 30mm. Introduced in 1942, the Bf 109G Bf 108 Taifun. A fighter using many of designated for their designer was faster but less maneuverable than the 108’s components was built as a war international air meetings. In 1936 previous versions and became heavier as private venture because designer Willi Battle of Britain the 109 won a competitive evaluation it developed, becoming less of a match Messerschmitt had fallen out with the The first aircraft flew in late May 1935 against the He 112 and was for Allied fighters like the Spitfire Mk IX Nazi Air Ministry after one of his M.20 fitted with a Rolls-Royce Kestrel engine, ordered into production for the Luftwaffe. and P-51D Mustang. airliners crashed with officers aboard. as the intended Junkers Jumo 210A was Early models saw combat with , the greatest fighter The official designation of the new not ready. The Bf 109 prototypes broke Germany’s in the Spanish ace of all time, scored all of his 352 fighter was Bf 109, for Bayerische records and caused a sensation at pre- Civil War, proving superior to the confirmed victories in the Bf 109. The

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